She and Statler never fought, if that’s what this incident could be called. They always sat down if they had differences, hashed things out, and emerged from whatever was bugging them, closer than before.
But she’d been a blind idiot; never, in all these years until recently, recognizing the sacrifices Stat had been making for her. It wasn’t hard to see, now that her eyes had been opened with her interest in Julian. Stat had beencompletelywithout a dating life for all the years they’d lived together. Down deep, he had to resent Petula for that.
Did it hurt that she’d been so blind and Statler had taken the hit?
Of course.
Was she going to face the facts and take things seriously now?
That was a no-brainer.
Statler deserved to live a full life, regardless of her lingering, fucked-up fears. And if she was willing to step up to some sort of relationship with Julian—which, if she were honest, she was still nervous to attempt—then Statler should get off his unrelenting, brotherly-protection-detail, and attempt to find his own happiness.
Pulling into her driveway, she noted that his truck was still here. That was good. But first things first. She needed to use the facilities, because she was currently doing what her brother fondly called “the pee-pee dance”.
She’d relieve herself, then search Statler out.
Or not.
As she walked into living room, he was sitting on the couch, clearly waiting for her.
“I’m sorry I was a dick,” he began right away.
“You weren’t, but save that thought.” Petula held up a stop-sign hand. “I need to purge all the coffee I’ve had this morning, then we can talk.”
Stat gave her a lopsided grin, then nodded as she quickly disappeared down the hall to the bathroom.
Coming back to join him on the couch, Petula already felt so much better. First, because she’d emptied her bladder, and second? Statler had made the initial move to clear the air.
Still, that didn’t mean he got to speak before her.
Petula launched right in.
“I’ve clearly been a blind, selfish jerk,” she began. “I’ve been so caught up in my own problems that I haven’t been paying enough attention to you.”
“Not true.” Statler shook his head. “You do everything for me, Pet. You feed me almost every night. You keep this place spotless. And you do my freaking laundry several times a week, because if you didn’t, everything I owned would be pink.”
She couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped from her lips, and of course that’s what Statler had been after.
He looked more confident as he continued.
“You treat the crew like they’re extended family, and you’ve become an ear for everyone’s problems.” He ran a hand over his face, then turned his gaze down to the floor. “What I’m trying to say, Pet, is that just because I don’t date, that doesn’t mean my life is shit. I have everything I could want. A sister I love, six really great people I get to work with and whom I trust with my life, a great house, and absolutely no money worries. Who am I to complain about anything?”
Petula got all that, but she still wasn’t about to let him brush this off like it was nothing.
“Female companionship, Stat,” she stated definitively. “You need a woman who loves you, or at least puts up with your grumpy ass,” she quipped, then got serious again. “A goodlooking, physically active guy your age shouldn’t be without a partner. You need someone in your life you can share everything with.”
“I share with you,” he rebutted a bit petulantly.
“Sex, Statler?” She trilled the question, not used to saying the word.
“Sex?” she posited again, more firmly the second time. Petula shook her head. “Clearly, we don’t shareeverything, dummy.” She reverted to childhood name calling, attempting to mitigate the crassness of the “S” word in her head.
“Duh,” he answered in kind, understanding what it cost her to say it, yet still rolling his eyes. “Not to beleaguer the point, but I can take care ofsomethings, myself.”
A few years ago, that would have caused a spiral. Now, however…
“TMI,” Petula chanted, covering her ears. “La-la-la-la…” Even though the impact of those words no longer had the power to make her panic, she knew she’d turned beet red simply because of the implications.
